Joseph Prince - Actively Own Your Double Portion
Praise the name of Jesus. Let's dive right into the Word, and I believe that this time round the Lord arrested me with the Word for this particular time, amen? You know, I believe, and I even prayed, even for this sermon. I said, "Lord, let me preach prophetically, because I don't wanna preach something"... When we say a now word, it's not just something like, you know, you teach in a Bible school. You just go through the curriculum, and next book that we have is the book of Nahum, and the next one will be the book of Isaiah, or we're going back to the beginning book of Genesis, and you teach line on line. I'm not knocking that. I'm saying it's okay, but I believe during times like this what God wants from his people are prophetic words, amen? Prophetic preaching, amen? Prophetic preaching. Even your whole sermon can be prophetic when the Holy Spirit anoints it. Praise the name of Jesus.
And I so crave for that, because you know what? Just Bible knowledge alone won't cut it, amen? It's gotta be the Word, the rhema Word out of the logos that will really meet your needs, amen? So, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The word down there is rhema. It is the rhema. It is the quickened Word. It is the Word that the Holy Spirit brings out from the Scriptures, amen, that will help us, that will strengthen us, that will heal us, that will deliver us from destruction, amen? Praise the name of Jesus.
Let's dive right into the Word, to the Word that God has for us today, amen? Look at Romans 7. We left off Romans 7 a few sermons back. "But now we have been delivered from the law". Let's stop there for a while. We have been delivered from the law, and people are still hankering over self-righteousness and wanting to keep the law and saying, like, you know, the law is important, but friend, listen carefully, amen? None of my preaching is against the law. I'm not an antinomian. I am for the law for the reason God gave the law. If you tell me that God gave the law to make us more holy, amen, to be closer to him, then you got it wrong, because the Bible says that by the law is the knowledge of sin, amen?
You see, the thing is that the more conscious we are of the law, the more we end up sinning. I'm gonna show you that right now. And we're not against the law. You see, if you talk about the law being the basis, okay, of every civilized nation in the world, I agree, amen? Outwardly, yes. Outwardly, if a nation abides by the Ten Commandments, it will be a civilized, progressive, and even a prosperous nation. It's built on the Ten Commandments, the Judeo-Christian principles, amen, of God's Word. I agree, but it's all outward. The moment law and order breaks down in any civilized nation, you see what happen. There's looting, stealing, rape, all kinds of chaos. Anarchy rules because, you see, the Ten Commandments, and that's what I'm saying, friend.
The Ten Commandments, the law, only gives you behavior modification, but not heart transformation. Every true transformation has happened through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of grace. It's grace that transforms you from the inside out. We're not after behavior modification. We are after heart transformation, and that, you see, my friend, is not from the law, amen? In fact, the more conscious we are of the law, what I'm trying to say is, I'm not saying the law is bad. I'm not saying that the law should never be given. I've never said those things. I know there are people who put those words in my mouth, but I am for the law for the reason God gave the law. And God never gave the law to justify men by. God gave the law so that all of us will come to a place where we realize we're sinners and we need the grace of God, amen?
So, I am for holiness, but I think where I differ from a lotta people is that how to get there from here. Some believe by your own efforts and keeping the law, by obeying the best we can. See, the law doesn't understand the best we can. It says cursed is every man who continues not in all things in the book of the law to do them. James says if you break one law, you're not guilty of the one you break. You are guilty of all, so I believe that the moment you try to focus on the law to get to holiness, right, you end up sinning. You end up in unholiness. You end up in the very thing you don't wanna do, just like Israel when Israel says, "All that God commands us, we will do," right? The next thing you see is a golden calf, the very thing that they didn't want to do.
Now, if you read this, it says, "We've been delivered from the law," and there are those who argue that this law is ceremonial law. This law is not the Ten Commandments, okay? Friend, I don't see anywhere in Scripture where we divide the law into ceremonial, sacrificial, and moral. Friend, the law is a composite whole. If one breaks down, they all break down. When the Bible says in this context here we have been delivered from the law, I submit to you it's very clear it's referring to the moral law. Now, that doesn't mean to be delivered from the moral law means you become immoral. That's the natural human conclusion and logic, right? But actually, when you remove the law it's like removing the stone, amen, for Lazarus to come forth, you know? You have to remove the stone of the law, right? But Lazarus, all depends.
Are you removing the stone from someone who is decaying, someone who is stinking right now, dead flesh, or are you removing the stone from someone who is resurrected, born again? Amen. So, if a believer is born again, the law is a hindrance. In fact, if you are living by the law, you are not living by the Spirit. Galatians 5. Very clear. It tells you in verse 18, it says that if you're led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Very clear. You cannot have both, okay? So, I submit to you that the holiness that comes from following the Spirit instead of the law is greater than the law. The law says don't commit adultery. There are those who observe that law outwardly, but in their heart it is full of uncleanness, or they observe the law and still don't love their wife, amen?
So, grace exceeds the law. The law says don't steal. Grace says, in Ephesians, work with your hands, that you may have something to give to those who are in need. You see, the grace of God makes you a giver, amen? You can don't steal and be a stingy person, amen? So, grace exceeds the law. So, you follow the Spirit, you will always not just fulfill the law, but exceed even the law, amen? But to be conscious of the law and to try to keep it is to produce the opposite in your life.
Let's keep on reading and see whether context here is referring to ceremonial law or sacrificial law or moral law. "But now we've been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, 'You shall not covet'". The context is very clear, my friend. It is not referring to ceremonial law here. It's not referring to the sacrificial law, right? It's referring to the moral law.
The context is king. You cannot take a verse out of context. It becomes a pretext for anything you teach, but friend, very clearly the context here is referring to the Ten Commandments. "Thou shall not covet". It was this that got Paul. Maybe Paul kept all the rest, right, but it was the last one, "Thou shall not covet," the Ten Commandment that got him. "Thou shall not covet". And the more he tried to keep it... let's keep on reading, right? He says that "but sin, taking opportunity by the commandment". Stop. How does sin produce sin in our life? How does sin manifest in our life? "Taking opportunity by the commandment". The word taking opportunity is the Greek word aphorme, which is actually the word used for a base of operations by which you launch an attack. It's a base of operations, a place where you launch an attack, right?
So, the law becomes the place where the devil, you know, the devil rejoices when you start preaching the law, because he knows that the more people focus on the law, it's hard for them to be Jesus conscious. Those who are focused on the law cannot be Jesus conscious. They cannot be led by the Spirit, and here it says, "Sin, taking opportunity by the commandment," what happen? "Produce in me all manner of evil desire". And the context here Paul is illustrating, "The more I try to keep 'Thou shall not covet,' in other words, thou shall not have evil desire, the more I try not to do that, it produce in me all manner of evil desire". You see? What happen? What's the production? The more he tried to keep it... nothing wrong with the law. He says is the law sin? No. The law is holy, just, and good, but the more he try to keep it, it produce in me sin, took opportunity, took the law as a base of operation.
That's what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:56. "The strength of sin is the law". And from there, the more Paul tried to keep it, the more it produced in him, he says, "In me all manner of evil desire". Not just evil desire. The more he tried to keep "thou shall not covet," the more he coveted. The more thou shall not have evil desires, thou shall not lust, actually, the more he lusted, and many of you experience that. The more you try not to think something, not to imagine something, the more you end up imagining it, thinking it. The more you try not to, it produce the reverse, right? That's what the law was designed to do, my friend. And let's keep on reading. He says, "For apart from the law sin was dead". This is a remarkable statement. Let's not rush. Let's look at it carefully.
"For apart from the law sin was dead". That means sin was dead, like it's in dormant state. Men had sinned. The moment Adam sinned, sin is in men. But with the more men try to keep the law, the sin that is dormant comes alive. Apart from the law, sin was dead. Wow! It's amazing statement, and he says, "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came," when the commandment came, when the commandment came, "sin revive and I died". I think this verse of Scripture is memorized by the powers, the cohorts of darkness, how to revive sin in any believer's life, in any church, any company of believers. The devil teach his minions how to tempt believers.
"You must not approach them. Many of them are too smart to see temptation, right, coming, staring them in the face, right? Very few will respond to temptation, with just blatantly temptation. They know it's temptation, but it will come in a subtle way. Try your best to keep this. Try our best to keep this. After all, you should endeavor to keep this". And the moment you try, you activate your flesh. The moment flesh is activated, it produce the works of the flesh, amen? Apart from the law, sin was dead. When the commandment came, sin revive, and I died. And that's why 2 Corinthians 3 says, "The ministry of death, written and engrave on stones".
You see, the sacrificial and the ceremonial law, they were never engrave on stones. The only part of the law that was engrave on stones are the Ten Commandments, what we call the moral law, and the Bible calls it ministry of death. Later on, a few verses later, is he calls it the ministry of condemnation. And that's why when you start preaching or sharing the Ten Commandments with someone, right, they unconsciously place themself under it, and then before they know it they start feeling condemned. They start feeling guilty all the time, and with that comes death. It's no joke, friend. And of course death, you know, with all its implications of sickness and depression and all that, right, it's all in the word death. The ministry of death engrave on stones.
Very clear in 2 Corinthians 3. Here it says, "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revive and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death". Now watch this again. "For sin, taking occasion by the commandment". Same word aphorme, a base of operations by which an attack is launched. "For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceive me". You see, sin cannot deceive you without the commandment. The devil come and say, you know, the devil is never more subtle than when he comes as a religious spirit, and many a times a church will be open to someone with a religious spirit. Someone will come and say, "Look, I believe that all of us need to keep the Ten Commandments, and all of you do your best to keep the Ten Commandments," or even teaching a series on the Ten Commandments, not knowing they're killing people slowly every week.
Now, friend, once again, why did God give the law? The law came from God. Why did God give the law? So that every mouth may be stopped. Very clear. Let's go to Romans 3 right now. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God". So, I go to a man, and he says that, "You know, I don't need Jesus. Why do I need a Savior, you know? I'm pretty good, and I take care of my family. And I'm a man in, you know, a good standing in society. I don't believe I'm sinning like these terrorists and all these. You know, I'm not the kind of"... Well, friend, have you ever committed adultery? "What do you mean? I've never cheated on my wife". Have you ever lusted in your heart?
Jesus says whoever lust for a woman in his heart, in his mind has already committed adultery. Have you done that? Mmm. It's easy when you put the law outside behavior modification, but it cannot be kept inside, so, friend, that mouth is stopped now, okay? "That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God". That's the purpose of the law. "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin". Not holiness. Not righteousness. Knowledge of sin. And the more conscious you are of sin, the more you will reproduce it in your life. Those who try, in fact, many people are sincere, and I know what it's like because I was very sincere. I try to confess every sin I can, as much as I can.
When I talk to someone, you know, and I feel I've exaggerated, I'll take time, in front of the person I'll just take time to say, "I'm sorry, Lord. I exaggerated. That was a lie. Forgive me". And I've done that for years. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be so right with God. I tried my best, only to find myself depressed. In the middle of the night I'll wake up and feel like, you know, demonic powers in the room. I feel depressed. I felt I was gonna lose my mind, and there are people losing their mind because they're sincere. They really are sincere. They do their best, and they find they don't measure up. And friend, we're not helping them by preaching the law. We're not under the law now, because Jesus, his death, provide a way for us out from this marriage to the law.
And that's in Romans 7. So keep on reading, right? Next verse tells us, this is beautiful, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law," apart from the law, "is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets". So a new righteousness has come. Ideally, if the people could keep all the Ten Commandments and all the commandments that God has laid out, especially through Moses, then they'll be righteous. But has anyone done that? No one. No one could do that, amen? Only one perfect man, our Lord Jesus Christ, amen? So, there was no one who could do that. So, God says, "You know what? All the while I want you to have a new kind of righteousness, the righteousness that is of me, amen? That comes as a gift". So, you got nowhere, no room to boast, amen? To be received.
Now the righteousness of God compared to the time of the law, "Now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets". That is like saying being sanctioned by the law and the prophets. When I think of this verse, I think of the Mount of Transfiguration, when our Lord Jesus Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration and he was transfigured. And he was so radiant, dazzling, bright, and the Bible says Elijah appeared and Moses appeared.
Now, who are they? Moses represents the law, Elijah the prophets, so he was witness, the righteousness of God was witnessed by the law and the prophets. And of course, Peter tried to put them on the same plane, on the same ground. "Let us make three tabernacles for all three of you". And the Father had to rebuke, had to correct Peter. "This is my beloved Son. Hear him," not hear them. Not hear the law and the prophets. Hear Jesus. The grace of God has come, amen? So, the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. Now, this righteous, "Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all", to all, "and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God".
You know, when I was a young believer I memorize this verse. Which verse? You know, this verse, verse 23, is a verse that most believers memorize. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," or come short of the glory of God. You know, I memorize that verse, and I never realize the verse before that and the verse after that is all about the righteousness of God, justification by faith, which comes through the gospel of Jesus Christ. No one taught me that. They taught me to memorize verse 23 alone, but the context is important. The context is telling us this righteousness is available through faith in Jesus Christ.
Verse 22, "To all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; all have sinned". Because all have sin, all can avail themself of this gift of righteousness, hallelujah? Because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ at the cross, this righteousness is made available to all of us and is done legally, amen? Judiciously, amen? It is done in a way that no demon, Satan himself, who's a lawyer, he himself cannot dispute this righteousness which come as a gift, because it's paid for by the blood of Jesus. It's a legal transaction waiting for you to receive it, amen? Now watch this. It says, "Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all", now, it's available to all. Say "to all". That means everyone has access to this righteousness. Doesn't mean they're saved.
Now, where this wrong teaching of universalism where they say that everyone is saved, they don't have to accept Jesus, it's automatic what Jesus did for them. Whether they accept, they don't accept, they're all saved. Now, this is called universalism, all right? It's a heresy. It's a false teaching, right? It's not in accordance to the Scripture, and I know there are some people that have gone into this and they're promoting this. Let me tell you this. The gift of righteousness is to all. Say "to all". It's available to all, but it doesn't come on all. It only comes on all who believe, so it's available to all, in the Greek eis. To all. But it comes on, epi in the Greek, comes on those who believe. Have you believed? If you believe, it comes on you, amen?/b]
You are clothed with the righteousness of God as a gift, not of your doing, because the righteousness of the law, like Romans 10, verse 3 says, Paul, in talking about his Jewish brothers who are so sincere, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness," that comes as a gift, "going about to establish their own righteousness". Wouldn't you say that's trying their best to be obedient, trying to be holy? Going about to establish their own righteousness. By doing that they have not submitted to the righteousness of God, amen? Praise the Lord. And I hope that you catch that, my friend. It's so vital you have that in your spirit.
Now look at verse 24. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus". Being justified freely. The word justified here is the word dikaioo. I know it's hard to pronounce that. Dikaioo, which is actually the word made righteous, or justified. And by the way, the tense here in the Greek is present tense. There is never a moment, child of God, the moment you believe on Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God comes on you, amen? You believe what Christ has done for you at the cross. You believe that he is the Son of God. You confess him as your Lord. The Bible tells us, now, confess him as your Lord is not lordship salvation. The moment you confess him as Lord in your life, you believe what Christ did, you're saved, amen?
I don't believe that, people say, "You know, if Christ is not Lord of all, Christ is not Lord at all". That puts a lot of burden on people and make them doubt their salvation. Now, friend, we want Christ to be Lord in every area of our life, but that will take a process, amen? Is that crucial to being born again? No. Born again is to believe Jesus and what he did at the cross for us and his death, burial, and resurrection. That alone saves you. That alone makes you righteous, but notice that over here in the Greek being justified freely is in the present tense. There's never a time, child of God, that you are not righteous. It's in the present tense. You are always righteous.
And how are you made righteous? Freely. The word freely here, the word dorean in the Greek, that means it's without a cost, without a reason on your part. It's a gift, freely, freely given, amen? How are you made righteous in God's eyes? Freely. To you, it is free. To God, God gave his son. His son gave his life, amen? But for you, it is freely. You are made righteous and always righteous, in the present tense, freely. Even as you're watching this right now, you are righteous.
[b]"But Pastor Prince, how about people that, you know, are sinning and they're living in sin and all that"? You know, I've said this before. Those who are born again, they don't live in sin. They may fall into sin, amen, but the default mode is always holiness, love for morality, the highest form of morality, which is God produce the fruit of the Spirit. Not this living in sin, living in adultery, you know, for the longest time. I suspect these people are not saved, amen? I suspect these people are not saved. If you're saved, you will not live in sin, amen? Praise the Lord.
Let's move right along. So, being justified freely. Child of God, receive that right now. Even right now, present tense, you are righteous, amen, in God's eyes, why? Because it's a gift that you didn't deserve that you received when you got born again, and it's a gift you cannot sin away, amen? This gift is greater than your sin. Just like when you were a sinner, you did some good things, but your default mode was sinning most of the time. But there were times you did something right, you did something moral, you did something good, but what you did back then when you were a sinner did not change your status as a sinner.
Now the Bible says you are righteous, right? Amen? Now, there are some times you fall into sin just like it was in the past. Sometimes you do right, but sometimes you do wrong. Does you're doing wrong change the fact that you are righteous? No. Because if that can change your status of righteousness before God, then what Adam did in making all of us sinners is greater than what the second Adam did, Jesus Christ did. No, friend. No way. In fact, what Jesus did is much more. Hallelujah. Amen?
So I'm not promoting people doing wrong. I'm just telling you it gives you security. And when you're secure and you feel loved, people who are loved, people who are loved best, they are the ones who love best. When you are restful, amen, holiness is a fruit. Hallelujah. Praise the name of Jesus. Amen, amen, amen. Praise the name of Jesus. So we are made righteous freely. Now, the challenge is this. The Word I have from the Lord to you is this, and the Lord came, you know, on me strongly this past week telling me, "I want my people to really believe that they are righteous and to behave accordingly because they are so prone to guilt, so prone to condemnation. Even when they pray, it's a begging. It's kind of like a"... They don't use the word, "I beg you, Father," but it's like a begging spirit, a popper spirit, not a sonship spirit.
Friend, listen carefully. In Jesus's parable of the prodigal son, when Jesus shared this parable, remember how the father treated the two sons? But the son that was most immoral, the son that left home, the son that rebelled against him was the son that received the most favor. But the son that stayed at home and even said, "I never broke any of your commandments," was the son that doesn't seem to receive any favor. In fact, he didn't even feel loved.
Now, listen carefully. Why? Because the father was treating the first son based on the man at his right hand. Our heavenly Father is treating the prodigal son as if it's Jesus. Amen? It's a picture of you and I. So whose righteousness do you believe? Well, the prodigal son believed in the righteousness of Jesus, the fatted calf that was sacrificed, all right? Because of that, Jesus becomes the measure. The father treated him as if he is Jesus. Now, the older son, he boasted in his own goodness so the father says, "Okay, I'll treat you based on your righteousness. Whatever level of righteousness you have, I'll treat you," which is not much. And the father treated him based on his righteousness, which is something he wanted. "You never gave me. I kept all your commandments". He was boasting in his righteousness, whereas over here, this man, the prodigal son did not boast in his righteousness. He rested in the father's love. It's a picture of how God treats us today.
So sometimes we are confused, you know, because we feel like, "Today I don't deserve any blessing because my thought life is really, you know, is gone haywire, and I'm thinking all kinds of bad thoughts and all that". Or maybe you had a quarrel with your wife and, you know, and now, you know, the missus is not talking to you, but all of a sudden you have a preaching assignment or something, and you are very anointed for that particular session and you're confused because, "Why did God anoint me when I don't deserve it"? No, God didn't anoint you because you had a fight. God anointed you so that you know it's got nothing to do with your performance. Amen? And it's the goodness of God that leads you to repentance.
Now, once you realize that, does it make you want to go back to the missus and you set things right? Amen? Yes. Amen. It's the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Amen. It was different under the law. Under the law, you have to do right, you have to repent first, right, and then the goodness of God comes on you. But today Jesus looked at the fishermen and gave them a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fishes and then the fisherman fell before Jesus and says, "I'm a sinful man. Depart from me. I'm a sinful man". Amen.
So the repentance came first or the goodness came first? No, the goodness of God given to him came first. It's the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Amen? But the challenge is this. When the Lord came on me just this past week and told me, "I want my people to really take their place, to know that this righteousness that they have right now they cannot lose it, and to come to me with a great sense of being at home, being at peace, like the Bible says in Romans 5, verse 1, 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God.'"
When you come to God, you're not in a hurry to run off somewhere. Like, when you sit down with your friend, you know, in a cafe, you can talk for 2, 3 hours and still you wish you had more time when you say goodbye. Why? You are at home. You are at peace with your friend. Likewise, you know, for God. He wants us to be in his presence, but many believers go into his presence afraid that they might think something wrong in his presence, or say something wrong, or they might don't feel at home. So when they come to God, they throw their request real fast so that they can run out, and they are more at home, at peace away from, though is a false peace. You know, away from God's presence. Why? Because they don't have this sense that the righteousness of God is coming to him. And God doesn't see you any other way but as righteous always, yet it's not your own righteousness. It's the gift of righteousness. Christ is your righteousness, and you're clothed with him.
So God treats the prodigal son and you according to how Jesus is. It's Jesus's righteousness that he measures you by. And if that is so, there's nothing that he won't give us, there's nothing that he will withhold from us. Because if it's measured by Jesus's obedience, it's measured by Jesus's righteousness, friend, we have access to all of his blessings. Amen? Believers are not receiving because they don't believe in their hearts that they are righteous. Or they know in their heads, but they act like God is still measuring them because of a mistake they made just now or a sinful thought they had this morning. So God is measuring them by that. There is a mixed reaction from God, and for that reason they're not able to receive. This is serious, my friend.
Look up here at Proverbs 17, verse 15. "He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord". Now, he who justifies the wicked. The word "wicked" here is the word "rasha". Okay, the word "rasha". Keep that in mind, rasha. Now, rasha today is used even in Israel for something evil. There's also a word they use for a snake, which is rasha, all right? Now, there's another word for snake, serpent, but also is used for snake, is used for an immoral person. In other words, sinners. Now, if we justify the sinner, it's an abomination to the Lord. And the word "abomination" is not just sin.
Now, all sin is bad, but abomination is worse than sin. "But, Pastor Prince, there are no big sins, small sin". No, I beg to differ. Sin is sin and any sin is bad, but there are degrees of sin. Remember Jesus told the high priest. He stood before the high priest. What did he say? "He that delivered me to you has the greater sin". If there's a greater sin, all right, there are also degrees of sin. So abomination is the worst kind. Abomination is the worst kind of sin, but notice what the Bible tells us. "He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both an abomination to the Lord".
So if you justify yourself when you're a sinner, you say that, "You know, I'm okay, and I don't sin that much, and can I"... You're justifying yourself. Like Paul says, they being ignorant of God's righteous, going about to establish their own righteousness, that's an abomination. But this is also an abomination. He who condemns the righteous, he who condemns the righteous. Now, we're thinking in terms of people condemning believers because believers are the righteous ones, all right, today, amen, who have received the gift of righteousness. But if you condemn yourself, you're also righteous. If you condemn yourself, it's an abomination. Why don't we preach on this even more? Amen. It's not humility to treat yourself like you're a sinner.
Now, hypocrisy is pretending to be what you are not, okay? If you are a sinner and you pretend to be righteous, that's hypocrisy because you are not righteous. You are a sinner. You have not put your trust in Christ. You're not born again. But if you are born again and you are righteous and you act like you're a sinner, you're still pretending to be what you are not. That's hypocrisy. Hypocrisy today is not acting like you are righteous for the believer because you are righteous. Amen. You should pray bold prayers. Amen. You go to believe that your prayers avail much because the Bible says the prayers of a righteous man avail much. Amen?
So whether a person who is justifying himself when he is a sinner is an abomination, or a believer who condemns other believers or condemns himself when both are righteous, amen, it's an abomination. And, friend, look at this word here wicked, rasha, all right? And you see the word condemn? He who condemns the righteous is the same word, same spelling in the Hebrew, rasha. Look at the Hebrew. Wicked or condemn is the same word. It's the word "rasha". Reading from right to left, rash-shin-ain. Okay? It is rasha. Same spelling. Both, the word wicked and condemn is the same word. Amen. The pronunciation is different, a bit different. They have the dots and the dashes that make it different, all right? Wicked is rasha, and to condemn is rashe. But it's the same spelling. In other words, condemnation is wicked. "He who condemns the righteous", go back to the verse again, "He who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord".
The first occurrence of this word "rasha" appears in Exodus 22. Exodus 22 is very interesting. It says, "For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing". Let's say you lost something, all right? Back then it says if you lose anything and someone is responsible, in other words, there's a thief, okay? "Of which one says, 'This is it,' the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor". The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
Now, if you lost something, okay, but you say, "This thing that I've lost, whether it's a cloak," or whatever it is you've lost, amen, and back then, these are literal items that they lost. But for us today, God wrote this for us today, amen, for us to know that whether you lose your health, or your peace of mind, or you lose even like some finances, or you lose a loved one, amen, and a loved one is now in a bad relationship with you or whatever it is, friend, listen. You need to say, "No, this is not acceptable. Healing is mine".
Now, by the way, the word this is, which one says this is it? The Hebrew says hoze, which is this is it. In order for you to say this is it, it's like saying this is mine. In the HNV, it says, "One says, 'This is mine.'" And some translation bring that out. This is mine. But how can you say this is mine if you are listening to preaching that tells you healing is not for today, all right, or, you know, Christians should not believe in prosperity or trying to make you feel shameful to believe in prosperity? Now, I don't believe in the materialistic self-aggrandizement kind of prosperity. I believe in being prosperous to be a blessing, being blessed to be a blessing. Amen? Praise the Lord. Amen. The poor cannot help the poor, and God is restoring this truth. Amen.
How can you believe these things are yours if you cannot even say, "This is it. This is mine. This is mine". And it's when you come before God and you say, "I have lost my health in this area and healing is mine," that God will condemn. Look at the Word. "He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor". But you know what happen when you condemn yourself? Proverbs 17:15 says, "He who condemns the righteous". You condemn yourself, and you are the righteousness of God in Christ. When you condemn yourself and you don't feel you're worthy or you feel like you've done something that has brought this upon yourself, you know what happens? You put yourself in the place of the one who stole as if you are the one that did wrong. Now, that's what happens. Now, I understand.
You know, you're thinking, "But, Pastor Prince, the Old Testament", don't talk about that. Talk about right now that you have, now the righteousness of God has revealed, now that you are the righteousness of God. God is treating you differently. God doesn't condemn you. God condemns the thief in your life. And who is the thief? The devil. Amen? Whether he's affecting your peace of mind, whether he's stealing away a health in certain areas of your life, certain parts of your body or whatever it is. My friend, listen. This is not acceptable. You must say, "Healing is mine". Amen. You must say, "Prosperity is mine". But how can you say prosperity is mine if you are intimidated by people who tell you that, you know, if you preach prosperity, then you're a heretic? Amen.
There are also many voices that says the gifts of the Holy Spirit is not for today. So how can you have the gifts operating when you don't say, "This is mine. This is it. I've read the Scriptures, and this is mine". Friend, whether you believe or you don't believe, some of you say, "Whether I believe or I don't believe, if God wants me to have it, I'll have it". Doesn't work. It doesn't work. You have to believe. You have to believe. You have to hear it first in order to believe. Remember when you were a sinner, amen, when you were without Christ. Someone came and shared the gospel with you. Amen? You heard. Amen. Faith comes by hearing. And then you receive.
Now, imagine before that person comes to you, if you said, "If there is a God, and God wants me saved, and, you know, he will get me saved". No, God has done his part. He sent his son. His son has died for your sins. That won't cause you to receive his blessing. That doesn't change God's heart and motivation towards you. God wants you to have salvation, but doesn't mean that people receive it. Same thing after you're born again. If you don't believe in healing and you listen to the voices that tell you healing is not for today, when the Bible says so clearly himself took our infirmities and carried our sicknesses at the cross, amen, from Isaiah 53, the work of the Messiah, the work of Jesus Christ, very clear. Amen. We believe he bore our sins, all right? The same passage says he bore our diseases.
Why do we believe one without the other? Why do we put a time dimension to one? "This has ceased. This has not". No, friend. Don't let these voices rob you. Say, "This healing is mine. Healing is mine". Amen, tell God. And, you know, the Bible says that you must come before God and say, "God, I've lost my health in this area, amen, and the enemy is attacking me in this area, but healing is mine. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Healing is mine". The moment you do that, friend, God condemns the enemy. And the enemy has to what? "He whom God condemns shall pay," what, "Double". Double health is coming. Double healing is coming in the name of Jesus. Double quality sleep is coming. Amen. Double freedom from depression and double peace will be given to you. Hallelujah. In Jesus mighty name, in the name of Jesus, God is setting more and more people free. Amen.
With each passing week, it seems like the Lord's heart during this time is to touch the lives of people that are depressed, people who are on medication. And I see right now the Lord is setting you free. Friend, you won't receive the measure of peace, and the well-being, and the mental poise that you had in times past before you fell into this depression. It will be double. Double peace, my friend, double Shalom, amen, amen, is coming your way. I believe that there are a number of people watching this who are on medication, all right, for your mental peace, you know, you feel like you can't go another day without this medication, but, friend, medication is fine. Please continue taking your medication if you need to, amen, based on the advice of your doctor, but they don't heal. Only Jesus heals, and he's setting you free right now in the name of Jesus. Receive that peace. Double peace is your portion.
Say, "This is mine. Peace is mine". Amen. Say it in Jesus name. "Peace is mine". And say this: "I am the righteousness of God in Christ. God sees me righteous". And come before the Father and say, "Father, healing is mine". And sure the Father condemns the enemy, amen, and he has to restore double. In other words, he'll have to let go of that area of health and mental health that he has stolen from you and has to restore double. In other words, he lets go. Amen. He lets go what he has stolen. He cannot. God has condemned him because God makes you righteous. You know, God justifies you and condemns the wicked, the enemy. Amen. What about prosperity? Friend, you cannot just say, "I lost that money," all right? Say:
Father, this is mine. Amen, you said the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. You said in your Word you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sakes, he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.
The whole context talks about not spiritual riches. Paul is talking there about giving finances, giving to the poor saints in Jerusalem. The context is very clear. "Jesus became poor". Where? "At the cross, that we through his poverty might be rich". This is grace. So you gotta say, "Prosperity is mine". Accept it, amen. It's regardless of your circumstances. Regardless of the pandemic, regardless of the employment situation in your country, amen, "God supplies you according to his riches", where? Not according to the riches of your country, amen. "According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus," amen. God shall supply.
Well, you must say, "This is mine". You cannot have a "You know, maybe God wants me to be healed. I'll be healed. Maybe God wants me to be well. I'll be well. If God wants to prosper me, he'll prosper me. God will prosper me". No, you gotta say, "This is mine". First of all, say, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ". By the way, the word "justified freely," the word "dikaioo," just now, "justified," it's actually, and Vine's is very clear on this. It's not just "made righteous". It is "to pronounce righteous," "to declare righteous". You gotta declare it.
Now, first of all, God declares you righteous. "Dikaioo" means "God declares you righteous". You gotta agree with God. Like Amos the prophet says, you know, "How can two walk together, except they be agreed"? God pronounces you righteous. What are you pronouncing about yourself? God declares you righteous. Say, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ". I find it makes a world of difference when you keep on saying, "By his stripes I'm healed. By his stripes I'm healed". Then to approach like this: "I am the righteousness of God in Christ, and by his stripes I am healed," amen. "I am the righteousness of God in Christ," and then come to God in prayer, amen. It's like it's a new dimension. It brings you to a new level, amen.
Don't "rasha" yourself. Don't "condemn" yourself. To condemn yourself is to make yourself wicked. Remember that, amen. Let me close by sharing one more verse of Scripture from Deuteronomy 25, verse 1 to 3, "If there is a dispute between men", just now, the Exodus 22 was actually the first reference of "rasha," and this is the second reference. "If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked". Now, "condemn the wicked" is "rasha". "Rasha," right? What saw also just now. It's the same word, "rasha," "rasha," right? "They justify the righteous" is the word "sadaq," "saddiyq".
If you look at the Hebrew, the Hebrew is very clear. The spelling is almost the same, "sadaq" means "justify". "Saddiyq" is the person, adjective, right? Sadaq is the verb. Saddiyq is the adjective, describing the person. Notice there's one little, like, a comma, which is the "yud" in the Hebrew, right? But it's almost the same spelling. In other words, if you believe that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, amen, it is something that is the greatest thing you can do, amen? Praise the Lord. It's the greatest thing you can do, praise God.
Let's go back to the verse of Scripture. Notice, make sure the judges are deciding with accuracy, with discernment, "and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked". What happened is that many a times, we condemn the righteous, Proverbs 17:15, right? We condemn the righteous. We even condemn ourselves. We condemn other believers. And when you do that, you see, friend, when someone condemns us... that's why Jesus says, "Bless them that curse you. Do good to them which hate you. Pray for them which despitefully use you", because they are ill-treating the righteous. Bad things are gonna happen.
Two verses before Proverbs 17:15, it says, "Whoever rewards evil for good, evil will not depart from his house". The context there, I know that Proverbs may not have the context there, but sometimes God put a verse before, two verses before that, just to tell us that this can happen. If someone is treating you bad, and you are righteous, bad things can happen to the person, but you don't want that, so pray for the person. "Bless them that curse you," so that bad things won't happen to them. At least, you know, you want them to come to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen?
So here it says, "If there is a dispute," all right, "bring it to the judges. The judges will justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt. He may beat him 40 times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes".
And based on this verse of Scripture, the Jewish people practiced a form of scourging, not as severe as the kind of flagellum, the scouring of the Romans, but they practiced a certain kind of leather-thong kind of a scourging based on this Scripture, and they scourged 39 times. Now, people believe, based on that, that Jesus was scourged 39 times, but, friend, he wasn't scourged under the Jewish law. He was scourged under the Romans, and the Romans did not spare.
In fact, the Bible says that he was scourged so bad that his visage, his face, his appearance was so marred more than any man. Look at this verse of Scripture in Isaiah, "Just as many were astonished at you, so his visage was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men". This is the NIV version, and it says, "Just as there were many who were appalled at him, his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness". Well, wait a minute. Jesus was flogged beyond 40 times for this to happen, for his appearance no more to resemble a human being, his form beyond that of any man. Very clear. So it says that you'll beat this person, but this person is the wicked person?
Let's go back to verse 1. It tells you that it's the one that's condemned, the wicked one that will be beaten, not the righteous one. So what happened to Jesus? He took our place. Come on. He took our place. He took your place and my place. We were the sinners. We were the "rasha". We were the ones, the evil one, amen, under the curse of the serpent, right? We were the ones that needed to be beaten, amen, but he took our place, and this is the part I want you to see. Look at verse 3, where it says, "many stripes". See the word "many more stripes"? It's the Hebrew word "makkah". "Makkah".
Now let me tell you want "makkah" means. Brown, Driver, Briggs, are three authors that wrote the Hebrew-English Lexicon, and this is how they define "makkah," is a blow or a stripe, literally of scourging. The same stripe is also translated, what? As plague, especially disease as punishment. Wow, wow, wow-wow. So a "stripe" in the Hebrew mind is also the word for "plague". No wonder, "By his stripes," come on, church, "By his stripes we are healed," amen. "By his stripes," amen, "we are healed from this plaque of COVID-19, hallelujah. By his stripes, we are healed from every plague". The word "plague," "makkah," appears in Deuteronomy 28, in Deuteronomy 28, verse 59, "Then the Lord will bring", it's a curse, by the way. It's a curse of people who don't keep the law, the commandments.
And this is the curse: "The Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues, 'makkah,' great and prolonged plagues, 'makkah,' and serious and prolonged sicknesses". Drop down, "Also every sickness and every plague", "makkah," that includes COVID-19, every plague, "which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed". This is the curse that came upon those who cannot keep the law or who don't keep the law. That's why to be under the law is to come under all this curse because the Bible says, "Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them". And that's why, don't put yourself under the law, friend. You must keep all or else you come under the curse.
Now, what happened to all these curses for the believer? Galatians 3:13, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law". The word "redeem" means "to buy back". You know what's the last verse? One day, I was reading Deuteronomy 28, on all the curses, and then, first of all, I asked the Lord, "Why the blessings are mentioned there, but the curses are so long in the chapter"? It's the longest. And the Lord says, "I want my people to look at the curses in detail so that, when they have the manifestation of that in their lives, they won't say it's a blessing". They are familiar with what is a curse so they'll know to say, "This is mine," amen? Whatever is not like a blessing, these are the things that is elucidated in Deuteronomy 28, at least you'll know. You won't accept a curse like it's a blessing from God, amen.
And you know what's the last word, the last few words in the curses, Deuteronomy 28? The last verse, the last word says, "No man will buy you". You'll be sold as a slave, and no man will buy you. One day, I was reading that, and it says, the last word, "No man will buy you," and the Holy Spirit came up in me and said, "But Christ did. No man will buy you, but Christ bought you". Here, "Christ has redeemed", the word "bought," bought us out, "exa agora," from the house, "agora," the market, from the slave market, he bought us out. Literally, the word used for a slave being bought, amen, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law".
Friend, you are redeemed. You are bought out from the curse of the law. You are bought out from the prolonged plate. You are bought out from every sickness and every disease. You are bought out in Jesus's name by Christ, hallelujah. How? "By himself becoming a curse for us so that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us in Christ," hallelujah, hallelujah, praise the name of Jesus. Friend, there's so much more I wanna share, but time, I know we might just continue this sermon because there's so much that God shared with me this past week I wanna share with you, but it's vital, friend, that you take your place, amen? It's not a matter of whether I believe or I don't believe.
"Oh, grace is wonderful, but, you know, if God wants me to have more grace, it will come on me". "Well, God want me to have more prosperity? It's gonna come on me". "God want me to have more healings? It'll come on me". No, friend, you have to know it. You have to say, "This is mine". You gotta take your place before God, amen, and then the enemy in your life will be caught. If a thief is found, he shall restore sevenfold, the Bible says, amen? In this case, it tells you very clearly that God will condemn him, amen, and not you. He justifies you. Praise the name of Jesus. Praise the name of the Lord, amen, amen, amen.
There is someone here. You have a... I don't know what is it, but there's a throat condition, right? You have been inflamed, like a inflammation in your throat. The Lord heals you right now in the name of Jesus, amen. Swallow. Swallow right now and see what the Lord has done, amen. Your throat is being healed in the name of Jesus. Praise the name of Jesus, thank you, Lord Jesus.
Lupus. I hear the word lupus being healed in Jesus's name. Rheumatoid arthritis. There's someone, and it seems like even your fingers are all, like, nulled up, and the Lord is releasing you right now. Be released in Jesus's name, amen. Be free in Jesus's name.
There is someone also, a condition in your back. I want you to stand up right now in the name of Jesus. Bend your back. Move around, amen, amen. Move around. Move your back in Jesus's name.
Also a kind of a rheumatism and also a condition in your lower back, actually the top area here. Just move that area right now, amen. Do a twist right now in Jesus's name. Be healed, my friend. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the words of knowledge is coming fast right now.
I want every one of you with pain, you have pain in your chest area, I want you to stand up right now and take a deep breath in Jesus's name. The pain goes in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Costochondritis goes in Jesus's name, amen. Stomach condition, ulcers in your stomach and all kinds of stomach conditions is being healed even right now in Jesus's name as I speak. If that is you, just place your hand on your stomach area in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen, amen.
Someone has been experiencing, like, a difficulty when you go to the restroom, and you're a man, and you have prostate trouble. In the name of Jesus, God is touching you right now, healing your prostate, amen, in the name of Jesus. Receive it right now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father God. Another tumor is being smitten right now in Jesus's name, amen. All this, you can go back to the doctor and verify it. Receive your healing, my friend, amen. Remember, God calls it great faith when you receive via space, amen, because the Lord is with you right now. There's no space with him, amen. He is with you. He never leaves you nor forsake you.
And right now, as I speak, someone is experiencing headache very frequently. In fact, it lasts for a few days, and even the Panadols that you've been taking or the painkillers and all that have not been helping you, and God releases you right now. In fact, right now you feel a relief. You feel freedom in the name of Jesus, my friend. You are free, hallelujah, amen. All stress in your life ceases in Jesus's name, amen. The Lord multiply shalom upon you in Jesus's name, upon your body and upon your mind in the name of Jesus, hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Lord Jesus, amen?
Those with teeth condition, there's someone here. You've been experiencing that, and, in fact, you prayed just now that Pastor Prince would just call out this condition. And, you know, I follow the Lord, amen? It's not me making this up, friend. It is from the Lord, and God is sealing up your tooth right now, healing your tooth in Jesus's name. It will hurt no more from this day forth, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. When that happens, please write to us and let us know, okay? Praise the name of Jesus, amen, amen, amen. Amen, amen, amen.
Someone has lost a very dear item, and you're wondering how you lost it. It's something very precious, very valuable, and you have lost it in your house. You actually lost it in your house, and now in the name of Jesus, it's gonna be restored. It's gonna be restored in your life. You know, this watch that I'm wearing here, it's a watch that I lost just two weeks ago, and I prayed for it. I took it out when I was outside, and I don't know where I placed it. And usually where place it in my house where my watch and my rings are when I place it there, it's not there, but two days later, after I prayed, it's right there. I took a picture of it. So God, and don't ask me how, amen. I don't worry about such things anymore. I know that my God is able, amen, and he'll restore that item to you. You'll find it. You'll find it in your house. That's where you'll find it. You'll find it in your house. Praise the name of Jesus, amen.
A shoulder condition being healed right now as if you can bend your shoulder all the way to the back and move your shoulder right now. Yes, someone with a left shoulder, and someone saying, "But mine is the right shoulder". Move that shoulder as well in Jesus's name and receive your healing. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Cancer being healed in the name of Jesus, and you feel life, amen, and reinvigorating power and energy just permeating your being right now. His health springs forth speedily in you in Jesus's name, amen. Go to the doctor. Have that verified, and please write to us and let us know about this in Jesus's name, so you don't have to wait for me to call out your healing. Just receive, my friend. God is releasing this healing upon you in Jesus's name.
Now say this: "I am the righteousness of God in Christ," amen? Say it, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ, and by his stripes I am healed. The Lord is my Shepherd. There is no lack in my life," amen. Say, "Christ is my wisdom. I have the wisdom of God," amen. "Wisdom is mine". Say, "Christ is my righteousness". Say, "Christ is my holiness. I have sanctification. I have holiness. I have separation from this unclean habit. I have holiness. I have sanctification from these unclean thoughts. I have this separation, in Jesus's name, amen".
Sometimes, friend, we need a separation from the unclean thing, amen? But separation cannot come from your human flesh, your human device. Confess it and Christ is my sanctification, and he will separate you from that unclean habit, praise the Lord. Say it, "Christ is my sanctification. This is mine. Holiness is mine, amen". Praise God, amen. Now say, "redemption". Redemption covers sickness and disease and the curse. Say, "Christ has redeemed me". Say it. Now say first, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ," again. And then say, "Christ has redeemed me". Say it, "Christ has redeemed me. He has bought me out from the slave market of disease, sickness, poverty, amen, depression, and death. Christ has bought me because he loved me. He gave his life for me. Christ has bought me out from under the curse into his blessing," say that, "out from under the curse, into his blessing, amen, in Jesus's name". Hallelujah, hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
And, friend, if you are watching this right now, and you have never confessed Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Bible says, if you believe in your heart, remember, righteousness, I shared just now, is God pronouncing you righteous, pronounce me, declaring your righteous. You must declare also, amen? If you believe in your heart Jesus Christ is your Lord, you believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, confess him with your mouth, "Jesus Christ is my Lord," you are saved. I want you to do that right now in Jesus's name. Say:
Heavenly Father, I thank you. I believe Christ died for my sins. I believe you have raised him from the dead. I confess Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior, in Jesus's name, amen.
Right now you are righteous in God's eyes. God pronounces you righteous, and you must pronounce yourself righteous, especially before you pray. You know, it's so good sometimes just to say, you know, "Thank you, Father, you see me righteous. I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". And it's abomination to condemn yourself when you are righteous. Praise the Lord.
So I hope that this week will find you having many good days, amen, and even if a trial comes, that God will turn that trial into a blessing for you. Praise the Lord, he will turn it all for your good, amen? Stand to your feet, church. Praise the Lord. Now lift up your hands and believe that, as we speak the word of blessing over you, you know, forces like the powers of the angelic powers, amen, God's angels go ahead, amen because they're also in a timeless zone, amen. They can go ahead of your week and prepare your way, just like the old patriarch Abraham says, "God will send his angel and prosper your way". I feel like angels are involved this week, amen? As I pronounce this blessing over you and as you receive it, angels go to work, amen, angels will keep you from the COVID-19 virus. Angels will keep charge over you to protect you, to keep you in all your ways this week, amen.
The Lord bless you and the Lord keep you. The Lord bless you with the blessings of Abraham because all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28, they are yours. You are no longer under the curse. You've been bought out of the curse under his blessings. The Lord bless you with the blessings of Deuteronomy 28, and the Lord bless you with the blessings of Abraham, and the Lord keep you, preserve you and your loved ones throughout this week. Give his angels charge over you to keep you, to protect you and your loved ones from the COVID-19 virus, to place you at the right place at the right time, to protect you and your families from every disease, from every danger, harm, accident, from all the power of the evil one, amen. The Lord make his face to shine on you, be favorable to you and to grant to you and your families his wonderful shalom peace. Remember, church, he is with you always.